A second-round tender turned out to be the correct play on restricted free agent Chris Harris.

The fourth-year starting cornerback re-signed with the Broncos on Tuesday for a $2.187 million salary — a nice bump from his $555,000 base salary last season.

"I was pleasantly surprised by the interest Chris did receive (from other teams) even with the injury," said Fred Lyles, Harris' agent.

The second-round compensation, though, was why no team formally submitted an offer. Harris was undrafted out of Kansas in 2011, but made the Broncos' season-opening roster then became a starting defensive back by the end of his rookie season. He quickly developed into one of the NFL's best nickelbacks in 2012, then started as an outside corner last year until he suffered a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in the Broncos' playoff game against San Diego.

He underwent surgery and is expected to be ready by the start of training camp. If not for the injury, the Broncos undoubtedly would have placed a first-round tender on Harris, which would have come with a $3.113 million salary. A first-round tender means another team could have tried to sign Harris away, but that team would have had to compensate the Broncos with a first-round draft pick.

Even with the injury, the Broncos could not risk giving Harris a "right-of-first-refusal" tender which would have meant another team could have attempted to sign him away without a draft pick compensation.

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The Broncos are counting on Harris to make a complete recovery. The team signed free agent cornerback Aqib Talib to replace Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Harris is expected to start at the other corner with second-year defensive back Kayvon Webster rotating in during nickel situations.

The Broncos also return veteran Tony Carter and are expected to select a cornerback within the first three rounds of the NFL draft in May.

"I'm just glad to get it over with and be able to know I'll be here one more year," Harris said, according to denverbroncos.com. "I'm definitely happy. This is where I want to be and to be able to play here another year, I'm all in to be a leader on the defense and get us back to the Super Bowl."